Skimmer and Lighting Options for 15 Gallon

[LiquidLunch]

I plan to set up my 15 gallon tank(13"x13"x18") for a small puffer fish and a small picasso trigger. I will have 10-15lbs of LR. Is a Remora C skimmer too much for this tank? Lightingwise, I was looking at this http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewIt...roduct=CU01011
Any suggestions would be great. tia

-Ray

[skilter]

im not too great on lighting, so hopefully someone else can answer this for you. From what i see on the lighting it looks sufficient. As for the skimmer, if you are willing to save yourself some money, i would plan on about a one gallon water change each weekend. This will be ok with your size tank.

[LiquidLunch]

thanks. i read many other posts and it seems like the weekly water change is a popular option. 1 less thing to buy too. ;-)

[petshopboy78]

That lighting will look nice, but it doesn't serve a lot of purpose if your keeping a trigger and a puffer, since corals are pretty much out.
It will grow some on the rock and make the fish look great though!

I agree on the skimmer. you might get a good size hermit to keep the extra chunks of food off the bottom. Thoughs guys are messy feeders!

[LiquidLunch]

This tank may go in different directions, but it's main purpose is the make my wife happy. There is no way that I will put a puffer in my 90gal tank b/c of the crabs/shrimp and polyps that I have. For some bizarre reason, my wife likes dog face puffers. I had a 15 gal tank laying around so I will set it up for her in the den. I just ordered the light from MarineDepot mentioned in my first post and I see where this project takes me. I plan to have a very small puffer and a decent size, nice piece of LR that will hopefully host some corraline algae.

[milhouse74]

These fish should not be kept in a tank that small.

[Loverotties]

Originally Posted by milhouse74

These fish should not be kept in a tank that small.

Dito!

[milhouse74]

A small puffer will only stay small for weeks. They grow very fast, as does the trigger.

[LiquidLunch]

thanks for the info, i didn't realize that. i've always been a tang and clown kinda guy and stayed away from fish like puffers. i always assumed that a small fish in a small tank would grow more slowly than compared to a large tank. what are popular "nano" fish that people typically keep? tia

[petshopboy78]

I don't mean to be rude, but what is the basis for saying that puffers grow fast? I have have kept many small dogface puffers in 55 gallon tanks and in my experience they grow really slow. The trigger might be an issue. I had a small Niger that grew 3" in one year and they don't just get long, they grow up and out too!
Personally, I don't see a problem with putting a dogface in there. Try and find a small striped dogface (sometimes fall under different common names). Just remember that in about a year, he's going to need a new home. I have a friend that has a Yellow Dogface thats been in captivity for about 5 years (it was good size when she purchased it), that is bigger than a football, before he puffs up!
Another option is a small spotted puffer. It's a "brackish" fish that is commonly converted to salt.
You know what your doing. Just be responsible with what you have. That's what were all trying to do.

[milhouse74]

Fast is relative, were talking fast for a 15 gallon tank.

[milhouse74]

Keep in mind that weeks wasn't being literal, never imagined I would need to clerify that one.

[petshopboy78]

All I'm saying is that a puffer can live there for quite some time. At some point he'll have to move it to something else. Most people do not even own a tank large enough for a niger trigger full grown (the books are never accurate on these fish, if you've ever seen them in the wild).
And a Lionfish CAN outgrow a 15 in weeks. Literally.
I really didn't mean to come across as rude. There is just so many different opinions out there. It's important to hear them all.